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The OSG, Order of the Silver Gryphon has been unique to Warriors and later Paladins primarily for membership avenues because Warriors were immune to the effects of the mandis crystal anti-magic suppression aspects. We've had rogues, paladins and assorted others.
Friends of the order have included rangers, empaths and sorcerers. We explored Scions as a working title for several years under Sir Ruffelin which was a designation for support or non-square members, but it wasn't truly official even if our empath and sorcerer member operated as Scions in that time period.
The intent of the grouping is to be equal in each way with a mentorship and squire process, but something to signify them in a unique way within an Order such as ourselves. I've read hospitalar, Templar and other medieval rank systems and would like something simple.
One designation to represent them in a unique and significant way updated to 2017 gaming mentalities. This would open up our roster a bit more naturally so it should fit within our command and combat structure that we presently operate under.
We've considered just open membership under the Orders membership ideals and they'd just be a Squire/Member path, a sectioned group of friends or scions (grammatically doesn't fit) or multiple tiers based on class specialilization (Arcanists, Healers/Support and DPS specializations), but those rankings get complex and may be empty because of roster sizes.
We're an exceptionally healthy MHO by today's standards at 13+ active members yet this is something we've not been able to solve even with active conversations since 2014.
Thanks.
Have you considered something structured like the heraldic orders, with "knight of", "knight commander of", "knight grand cross of", and so on?
Bath
Garter
British Empire
I would swear there was a "star of india" in there at some point, too--unless I'm getting confused with the crown jewels--while India was still part of the Empire.
That way you could have the various Orders represent the paths (pure Square, Semi, Spellcaster) and have their hierarchy (this Order is senior to that Order), and standing along that path.
Don't call them "knights of", unless they actually GET made a knight, but there you are. Armsman, Sarjeant, Captain (along each path), and if they ever get knighted, then they convert to that same level.
You would have to determine whether a third-step NON-knight [Captain] in one path is above or below a first- or second-step knight in that same path. (Does the accolade override the seniority and other achievements?) Then you would basically have a six-step path, the three non-Knight ranks and the three Knight ranks.
Make as many paths as you want, for the different ways you guys approach situations. There's the sneakey-petes going out to take out the leaders, the stand-in-fronts rallying the other defenders, the ranged guys up in the towers, whatever.
Maybe call them by the hardest-to-find (or most damaging?) unique gem in each area, so the Order of the Maernstrike Diamond would be the <pick one>, while the Order of the <name a Rift gem? Something from the Scatter?> would be <something else>.
.
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Avoid using the model of the Knights of the Thistle (KT), since there are NO gradations in rank, and a hard limit on membership (13, max... and one of those is the Monarch). Just another example of the Sassenach trying to keep the Highlanders down.
Bath
Garter
British Empire
I would swear there was a "star of india" in there at some point, too--unless I'm getting confused with the crown jewels--while India was still part of the Empire.
That way you could have the various Orders represent the paths (pure Square, Semi, Spellcaster) and have their hierarchy (this Order is senior to that Order), and standing along that path.
Don't call them "knights of", unless they actually GET made a knight, but there you are. Armsman, Sarjeant, Captain (along each path), and if they ever get knighted, then they convert to that same level.
You would have to determine whether a third-step NON-knight [Captain] in one path is above or below a first- or second-step knight in that same path. (Does the accolade override the seniority and other achievements?) Then you would basically have a six-step path, the three non-Knight ranks and the three Knight ranks.
Make as many paths as you want, for the different ways you guys approach situations. There's the sneakey-petes going out to take out the leaders, the stand-in-fronts rallying the other defenders, the ranged guys up in the towers, whatever.
Maybe call them by the hardest-to-find (or most damaging?) unique gem in each area, so the Order of the Maernstrike Diamond would be the <pick one>, while the Order of the <name a Rift gem? Something from the Scatter?> would be <something else>.
.
.
Avoid using the model of the Knights of the Thistle (KT), since there are NO gradations in rank, and a hard limit on membership (13, max... and one of those is the Monarch). Just another example of the Sassenach trying to keep the Highlanders down.
(Clarification: I left out an implicit "if the accolade makes the Knight senior, then..." in my 'determine' paragraph, when I switched from talking about a 3-step path to 6-step path. My assumption all along was a three step path, like "knight of, knight commander of, knight grand cross of" as the English use. Then when I wanted to address non-Knighted parties, I had to cover that somehow. Sorry for confusion.)
I like some of the gem naming themes and I did explore a similar outline and correlation to the real world titles you quoted.
I like the OAS version of this and there is some parellel to the unique title designations the staff have awarded.
For us I go back to wanting it simpler. I had a complex structure in Eq and Eq2 for class and race. The population makes it difficult here. As to thr OSG it would probably represent 3-4 people such as an empath, a wizard, a sorcerer and a ranger. That would be the entirety at any given time of its representation and that might be bigger than itll ever be. This driving portion is why I want to avoid multiple groups or specialized focus for healer types, monks or casters.
This is great feedback krakii. Its very much in line with why we've talked about this for years without a aha solution.
-Geijon
Leader, Order of the Silver Gryphon
I like the OAS version of this and there is some parellel to the unique title designations the staff have awarded.
For us I go back to wanting it simpler. I had a complex structure in Eq and Eq2 for class and race. The population makes it difficult here. As to thr OSG it would probably represent 3-4 people such as an empath, a wizard, a sorcerer and a ranger. That would be the entirety at any given time of its representation and that might be bigger than itll ever be. This driving portion is why I want to avoid multiple groups or specialized focus for healer types, monks or casters.
This is great feedback krakii. Its very much in line with why we've talked about this for years without a aha solution.
-Geijon
Leader, Order of the Silver Gryphon
We keep it pretty simple when we praise the Sun. Basically, for full membership titles, which are equal, just simply divided by profession..:
There's also the 'do you baby' clause somewhere in our bylaws that, if on promotion, the new full member of the order would prefer to be divided into a different category (say, hypothetically, we had a warmage who prefers martial combat and doesn't identify as a 'wizard' per se but more of a spellsword, they could be a sergeant; or say, hypothetically, we had a ranger who identified more as a druid/nature mage and would prefer to be either an arcanist or hospitaller as opposed to a sergeant). The professional distinctions are just a streamlined way that, if we boasted far more members than we have, we'd be able to quickly form up based on abilities for situational adaptation. Etc.
The final catchall term for full members in the OAS is man/woman-at-arms (or just regular ole 'men-at-arms' for plurality), given that our definition of arms is less weapons and mettle (it's still a little bit of that) but bearing the ensign of the order in defense of the Barony of Vornavis, its Freeport of Solhaven, and the Turamzzyrian Empire.
Pending membership is divided into two groups, with no professional distinction: pages who are freshly recruited and ripe for training and then squires who are more advanced in their training. There's other proprietary, ceremonial hubbub with our regalia as well, but that's neither here nor there.
When it comes to our knights, they just use their titles granted by their liegelord and either their officer title if they have one or their full member title. So currently, my dude would be Sir Bristenn Mires, Imperial Knight of Vornavis and Standard Bearer of the Order of the Azure Sun. If I were to ever step down, he'd etcetc Imperial Knight of Vornavis and Sergeant of the Order of the Azure Sun. Mynon would currently be 'Sir Mynon Felcroth, Knight of Vornavis and Sergeant of the Order of the Azure Sun.' Aydan would be 'Sir Aydan Mursilis, Knight-Banneret of the Turamzzyrian Empire and Adjudicator of the Order of the Azure Sun,' and Eahlstan would be 'Sir Eahlstan Hjeldin, Knight-Banneret of the Turamzzyrian Empire and Marshall of the Order of the Azure Sun,' etc etc etc.
-james, bristenn's player
| Sergeant: | Warrior | Paladin | Rogue | Ranger | Bard | Monk |
| Hospitaller: | Cleric | Empath | Savant? | |||
| Arcanist: | Wizard | Sorcerer | Savant? |
There's also the 'do you baby' clause somewhere in our bylaws that, if on promotion, the new full member of the order would prefer to be divided into a different category (say, hypothetically, we had a warmage who prefers martial combat and doesn't identify as a 'wizard' per se but more of a spellsword, they could be a sergeant; or say, hypothetically, we had a ranger who identified more as a druid/nature mage and would prefer to be either an arcanist or hospitaller as opposed to a sergeant). The professional distinctions are just a streamlined way that, if we boasted far more members than we have, we'd be able to quickly form up based on abilities for situational adaptation. Etc.
The final catchall term for full members in the OAS is man/woman-at-arms (or just regular ole 'men-at-arms' for plurality), given that our definition of arms is less weapons and mettle (it's still a little bit of that) but bearing the ensign of the order in defense of the Barony of Vornavis, its Freeport of Solhaven, and the Turamzzyrian Empire.
Pending membership is divided into two groups, with no professional distinction: pages who are freshly recruited and ripe for training and then squires who are more advanced in their training. There's other proprietary, ceremonial hubbub with our regalia as well, but that's neither here nor there.
When it comes to our knights, they just use their titles granted by their liegelord and either their officer title if they have one or their full member title. So currently, my dude would be Sir Bristenn Mires, Imperial Knight of Vornavis and Standard Bearer of the Order of the Azure Sun. If I were to ever step down, he'd etcetc Imperial Knight of Vornavis and Sergeant of the Order of the Azure Sun. Mynon would currently be 'Sir Mynon Felcroth, Knight of Vornavis and Sergeant of the Order of the Azure Sun.' Aydan would be 'Sir Aydan Mursilis, Knight-Banneret of the Turamzzyrian Empire and Adjudicator of the Order of the Azure Sun,' and Eahlstan would be 'Sir Eahlstan Hjeldin, Knight-Banneret of the Turamzzyrian Empire and Marshall of the Order of the Azure Sun,' etc etc etc.
-james, bristenn's player
| You think to yourself, "FFF-" |
| A giant white bunny hurls a powerful lightning bolt at you! |
| You evade the bolt by a hair! |
